It is generally the practice in the kitchens of restaurants and homes to cut and wash foods such as vegetables in preparation for cooking and serving them. Usually a separate cuttingboard is utilized in the vicinity of a sink for preparation of the vegetables and other foodstuffs. The conventional cuttingboard is made of material which can withstand the cutting action of knives and the like and is generally large and heavy enough to accommodate food storage and to remain stationary during cutting pressure and motions. Larger cuttingboards, while more efficient in use, are generally bulkier and more inconvenient to handle and wash than smaller and lighter weight cuttingboards.
However, smaller, lighter weight cuttingboards generally have a tendency to move under heavy cutting action and therefore require stabilizing.
With either type of board, it is generally necessary to move the board to the sink for washing the cut vegetables and/or the board itself. When washing cut vegetables, it is often expedient to utilize a strainer, colander or the like. In such instances it is necessary to transfer the vegetables to the strainer and to then discard the unwanted trimmed portions, either in a trash receptacle or a sink disposal unit. In other instances, it is desired to not lose the juices resulting from cutting and preserve them with the cut portions, in such instances the foodstuffs on the cuttingboard are moved to a separate bowl, which, in the absence of great dexterity, can be a messy, inefficient operation. In yet other instances it is desire to separate the solid cut portions from the liquids, yet capture the liquids for subsequent preparation steps.
It would be an advantage therefore to overcome certain of the problems and inconveniences of prior art apparatus by providing an improved kitchen cuttingboard which can be used directly over a kitchen sink, is lightweight and, yet, is easily and effectively stabilized during use. The cuttingboard of the present invention is especially adapted for use directly over a sink and for accommodating the simultaneous washing and discarding of portions of vegetables and the like prepared thereon. In this manner, the operation of cutting, storing, washing and discarding foodstuffs is facilitated directly in the area in which each of the above functions is most expeditiously effected and in the most sanitary configuration.